


Thin Walls

by castronomicaaal



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-22
Updated: 2015-10-22
Packaged: 2018-04-27 15:11:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5053591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/castronomicaaal/pseuds/castronomicaaal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emily and Penelope accidentally overhear a private moment between Spencer and Derek.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thin Walls

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place after events in Amplification.

“Thank god they released him today,” Penelope smiles gratefully. “He’s not too fond of the hospital.”

Emily snorts at this, shaking her head before she finishes putting cream into their coffees at the counter. Grabbing both cups, she offers Penelope hers. “What a foreign concept—someone hating a hospital. I can hardly believe it.”

Both she and Penelope share a brief laugh, making their way down the hall and for the doors to the exit.

“You know what I mean,” Penelope corrects, shaking her head. “I’m just really glad that’s he’s going to be okay.

Emily squeezes the blonde on the shoulder before throwing her a soft smile. “I know, I get it. How are you doing, though?”

“Me?” Penelope echoes curiously, the pair both now getting into Penelope’s car.

“Yes you,” Emily confirms, buckling herself in before taking another sip from her coffee cup. “Look, Garcia, I don’t mean to pry but,” she pauses, sighing deeply. “It’s not really me profiling you…”

Penelope shoots her a skeptical gaze, a single brow raised inquisitively.

“More so it’s me observing a friend,” Emily promises. “And I can tell that something’s going on with you right now.”

Penelope sighs deeply, backing out of her parking space before she gives Emily another sparing glance. “It’s Reid,” she admits after a moment or so.

“He’s fine,” Emily comforts the girl.

Penelope nods. “I know, I know that,” she responds. “It’s just—earlier, while he was still inside of that house. Well, he called me,” she offers.

“Something irrelevant to the case?” Emily assumes.

“It was about his mom,” Penelope tells her, her hands gripping the steering wheel tighter. “He asked me to record a message for her in case he…” Penelope trails off, shaking her head quickly. “But you’re right, he’s fine. I shouldn’t be so upset about this.”

“It must have been hard,” Emily sympathizes, sending Penelope a small smile in hopes to heighten the girl’s spirits. “But you’re a great friend for being there for him when he needed you.”

“I hope so,” Penelope agrees. “It’s just hard for me, you know? But I’ll get over it, I promise. I just need to see my sweet boy wonder in the flesh and I’m certain my nerves will calm down.”

“Do you think Morgan is still there with him?” Emily wonders, turning to glance out the window at the buildings as they pass by.

“If he knows what’s good for him he will be,” Penelope teases, grinning. “I doubt he’d leave Reid on his own before we got there,” she responds more seriously this time around. “He’s been worried sick all day.”

Emily nods. “He thinks it was his fault,” she informs Penelope. “He never noticed Reid going off into the house without him.”

“Derek blames himself for everything,” Penelope supplies, shaking her head. “I think he has a hero’s complex.”

Both girls share a laugh.

“You think?” Emily responds teasingly, her own smile wide.

“Alright, alright,” Penelope concurs happily. “Well, at least he’s still here,” she confirms, nodding in the direction of the male’s car as she pulls up into a space alongside him, just outside of Spencer’s apartment complex. “Lucky for him he gets to live another day.”

“I’m sure he was shaking in his boots,” Emily jokes, unbuckling before getting out of the vehicle. Penelope soon follows, making sure to lock her doors before both walk off for Spencer’s apartment building.

“Do Reid and Morgan ever hang out outside of the BAU?” Emily questions sincerely, the pair making their way upstairs side by side.

“I think so,” Penelope nods, confirming her thoughts. “Every once in a while. Why do you ask?”

Emily shrugs gently, her hand trailing along the banister as they continue to walk up the steps. “They just don’t seem to have a lot in common,” she admits, smiling. “I’m trying to picture what they’ve been doing in Spencer’s apartment together for the past hour.”

“I could think of a few things,” Penelope teases, a smirk on her lips. Emily barks out a quick laugh, shoving Penelope lightly on the shoulder.

“You’re a mess,” she tells her, smiling. “Almost as likely as me dating Rossi.”

“I have a very creative brain,” Penelope assures her.

“I bet you do,” Emily confirms. Reaching Spencer’s floor, Emily approaches and knocks lightly.

After a moment or so passes without answer, Penelope and Emily both share a curious look.

“Do you think he’s sleeping?” Penelope asks, voice now lowered to a whisper. Emily shrugs.

“Shouldn’t Derek be in the living room either way?” She questions in return.

This stumps Penelope momentarily and both think on it for a moment. “Maybe he’s in Spencer’s room with him sitting in a chair or something?” She supplies. “Spencer may not have wanted to sleep by himself?”

Emily shrugs. “I don’t know, maybe.”

Attempting the doorknob, both meet gazes once again as the door opens easily. “I can’t believe he didn’t lock his door,” Emily whispers, shaking her head.

Both Penelope and Emily enter quietly, tiptoeing their way into the deserted living room. Glancing around, it’s rapidly obvious that the kitchen is without any occupants as well.

Pointing towards the door they assume to be leading into Spencer’s room, Penelope nods its way. “It’s open a little bit,” she confirms. “And the lights are on.”

Nodding, the pair quietly makes their way over. It doesn’t take long at all for two muffled voices to reach their ears. Penelope grins wide.

“Told you,” she whispers. Emily smiles.

Reaching for the doorknob, the dark haired girl is just about to turn the door and enter when their words meet her ears, stopping her in her tracks.

“You know Penelope and Prentiss will be here any minute,” a voice—distinctly Derek’s—flows past the wood of Spencer’s door. It definitely helps that it’s been left slightly ajar.

“They’ll knock,” comes Spencer’s softer reply. “Until then, I want you to hold me.”

Emily and Penelope share a sharp stare, their eyes widening slightly.

“You really had me worried today, pretty boy,” Derek continues speaking, his voice softening as well. “God, I was so worried.”

“Me too,” Spencer admits. “Having to tell you I was sorry that I couldn’t let you in, I just,” a short pause leaves both girls waiting with baited breath. “It hurt so badly. Derek, I’m sorry I went in without you.”

Penelope mouths a quick ‘ _Derek’_ Emily’s way. She frowns, shrugging. As far back as either girl could recall, they’d never heard Spencer refer to Derek by his first name.

“Don’t baby, please,” Penelope’s eyes widen even further at this, her hands reaching forward to cup her mouth in hopes of silencing herself. “We were both just doing our jobs. We had no idea this could happen. Besides, you’re okay now, you’re alright Spence.”

A silence takes over both Emily and Penelope as they process these words. Leaning closer to the door, Emily isn’t certain if she can hear the quiet sounds of kissing or if she’s just making it all up in her mind.

“Can’t believe you ate my jello,” Spencer finally begins talking once more, his voice mumbling. It’s obvious he’s speaking with a more teasing tone now. Derek’s loud chuckle follows soon after.

“Baby boy, I can buy you some more jello tomorrow,” he promises. “For now, I just want to kiss you until the girls get here, alright?”

This has both Emily and Penelope straightening up quickly, their minds racing as they retreat back to Spencer’s front door.

Closing it quietly behind herself, Penelope releases a deep breath. “Holy crap,” she shouts out, shaking her head quickly. “Holy freaking crap.”

“They’re kissing,” Emily tells her, biting at her lip in disbelief. “They’re in there kissing right now. And they have no idea we’re out here or that we heard…Garcia, we’re creepy.” She tells her.

“Screw creepy,” Penelope shakes her head. “How long has this been going on for? Are they together? Do you think they’re in love?”

Grabbing at Penelope’s shoulders, Emily shakes her lightly. “Garcia, calm down,” she tells her. “I have no idea…I didn’t even register this as a possibility…” she trails off, shaking her head in incredulity slowly. “Do _you_ think they’re in love?”

A grin quickly spreads along Penelope’s face at Emily’s words, her body finally seeming to be able to calm itself down. “Spencer and Derek are so in love.” She tells her.

Emily laughs softly, pulling back. Brushing a loose strand of hair back behind her ear, Emily sighs. “What do we do now? Pretend like we never heard any of it?”

Penelope frowns. “There is no way in hell I can keep this a secret from Jayje.” She admits ashamedly. “I give myself ten minutes after seeing the girl tomorrow before I spill the beans.”

At Emily’s pointed stare, Penelope shrugs sheepishly. “I’m weak,” she admits.

“Do we tell them, then? God, Reid will be so embarrassed.” Emily licks at her lips thoughtfully.

Penelope plays with the hem of her shirt absentmindedly, thinking it over. “Let’s just go in and see Reid and then we can go from there?” She supplies.

After a moments debate, Emily shrugs. “Alright, hopefully they won’t be able to read it off of us.”

Before either can rethink their plan, Penelope is knocking on Spencer’s door—much louder than previous.

A minute or two later with some rustling beyond the doorframe, Spencer is greeting them with a soft smile and slightly swollen lips. Penelope internally fans herself. “Reid!” She shouts happily, pulling the boy into a big hug.

“Hey Garcia, Emily,” he responds a bit awkwardly, hugging her back nonetheless. Pulling away, Emily pats him on the arm with a big smile of her own.

“Glad to see you’re doing okay, Reid,” she tells him sincerely. “We were all really worried about you.”

He smiles sheepishly, moving out of the way to let both girls in. “Glad to be okay,” he replies.

“Baby girl,” Derek grins, pulling the blonde into a big hug of his own. “Emily,” he nods happily. “Reid’s been an excellent patient. I’m sure he’ll be just as good while the two of you are here.” He promises, patting Reid on the back gingerly.

“Oh yeah?” Penelope grins softly. “If I’m a good nurse are you gonna kiss me, too?”

“Garcia!” Emily shouts, eyes wide as she watches the poor blonde, her gaze nearly distraught as she presses a single hand over her mouth.

“I didn’t mean—I didn’t, uh,” she sputters, eyes wide. “Oh my god.”

“Clearly subtlety isn’t a trait of yours,” Emily chastises, unable to resist the smile slowly spreading across her face upon spotting both Derek and Spencer’s mortified faces gazing back.

“I don’t have any clue as to what you’re referring to,” Spence tries, face tinged red and with both arms crossed in front of his chest.

“I’m going to stop you there,” Emily shakes her head. “Listen, Reid, I’m not saying that we know about you two but,” she shrugs, “Morgan may or may not be buying you jello tomorrow.”

Spencer’s red cheeks deepen.

“May or may not be,” Penelope echoes, smiling from ear to ear. “ _Baby boy_ ,” she emphasizes afterwards.


End file.
